Lingerie clasp



Patented lidar. il, i924.,

maniac starts JAMES H. MILLIGAN, 0F HIGHLND BEACH, RHODE ISLAND.

LINGERIE CLASP.

Application led October 29,1923. Serial No. 671,389.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, JAMES, H. MILLIGAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Highland Beach, in the county of Kent and State of Rhodeisland, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Lin-V gerieClasps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a lingerie clasp .more particularly adaptedforengaging and binding together several garment supporting shoulderstraps and holding them in alignment with each other; and the object ofthis invention is to form a clasp of this character which is handsomeand attractive in appearance and one which is provided with an arm orclamp lever adapted to be readily passed beneath the several straps andthen`snapped downupon the straps to bind them together under springtension, and one which may be readily released and removed when desired.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, as will be more fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

ln the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view illustratingmy clasp as applied to garment supporting shoulder straps.

Figure 2 is a view of the under side of the clasp showing the clamplever in` raised position.

Figure 3 is a central sectional edge elevation of my improved claspshowing the clamp lever in raised position.

Figure 4 is the same as Figure 3 and showing the clamp lever inoperating or binding position.

Figure, 5 is a perspective view of the back plate showing the hingerecesses in one portion thereof and the raised jaw member at theopposite end thereof.

Figure 6 is a view of the spring plate which is mounted in the body ofthe clamp between the back and front plates thereof.`

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the clamping lever arm.

It is found of advantage, by the ladies, to use a lingerie clasp havinga clamp lever which is adapted to be readily passed beneath severalgarment supporting shoulder straps to collect and bind them together andto provide the clamp with an attractive front plate adapted to besnapped down l onto thelever arm and so grip and bind the several strapstogether by spring pressure,

as a device of this character may be much more readily positioned toengage and retain a number of such straps, than the old stylehook-shaped clasp, and it is much more readily released when it isdesired to remove the same, and my improved clasp with thespring'pressed lever arm will bind a single thickness of the sheerest ofthinnest fabric, equally as tight as a number of thicknesses of aheavier fabric; and the following is a vdetailed description of oneconstructionV by which these advantageous results may be obtained :-l vWith references to the drawings, 10 designates the body of a clasp,which is preferably drawn upv into trough-shape having a frontornamental plate the side, or end walls 11 of the body being preferablyformed slightly tapering or on an incline as shown in Figures 3 andvt.The back plate 12 is formed to lit into the back of the body, the edge13 of the bodybeing rolled over that of the back plate to lock the twotogether. This back plate is preferably pro-v vided with an opening 14through it and the edges of this opening are provided with loops orraised portions 15 which serve as bearings for the trunnions 16 on theclamp lever 17. This back plate has two parallel,

spaced-apart slits near its opposite end as at 18 and the stock 19between these slits is raised from the plane of the plate forming a jawmember 20 against which the lever arm 17 may bite the fabric when thearm is moved to closed position.

ln order to render more effective the biting action of this lever armagainst the jaw 20, l have provided a tooth 21 in this jaw which israised from the stock thereof and is set on an angle in the generaldirection of the hinge so as to engage the fabric and prevent it fromslipping when grasped between the jaw and arm when they are moved toclosed position.

Between the back plate 12 and the front plate 10 of the body member, I'have mounted a spring plate 22, the edges 23 of, which are arranged torest upon the inclined walls 11 of the body and support this plate outof engagement with either the front or back plates of the clasp.

The inner end 24 of this clamp arm is arranged to rest upon this springplate so that when the lever arm is snapped either up into open positionor down against the jaw 20 the spring serves to press the arm againstthe jaw with Ysufficient pressure to bite or bind the goods between thearm and the jaw to prevent the clasp from slipping when once positionedon the goods.

serve the privilege of resorting to all the.

mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the inventionbeing defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim: o

1. A lingerie clasp comprising a troughshaped body, a back plate securedto said` body and provided with an opening with laterally-extendinghinge-receiving recesses, a spring plate operatively mounted in saidbody, a clamp lever hinged in said recesses in said back plate andengaging said spring plate to tension said lever when in closedposition, and a raised member on said back plate against which saidlever rests when closed. V

2. A lingerie clasp comprising a troughshaped body, a back plate securedto said body and provided with an opening `with laterally-extendinghinge-receiving recesses, a spring plate operatively mounted in saidbody, a clamp lever hinged inV said recesses in said back plate andengaging said spring plate to tension said lever when in closedposition, and an integral jaw member raised from the stock of said backplate against which said lever bites the fabric when closed, and aretaining tooth on said jaw for retaining .the fabric.

3. A lingerieY clasp comprising anelongat6 ed trough shaped body havinginclined walls, a back plate secured to said body and provided with anopening with laterallyextending hinge-receiving recesses, a springplate, a clamp lever hinged in said recesses in said back plate havingan inturned end engaging said spring plate to tension said lever when inclosed position, `and a raised jaw member onV said back plate againstwhich said lever grips the fabric when closed. I

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

JAMES H. MILLIGAN.v

